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For dinner favoury fruits, of tafte to please
True appetite, and not difrelish thirst

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Of necta'rous draughts between, from milky stream, Berry or grape to whom thus Adam call'd.

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Hafte hither Eve, and worth thy fight behold Eastward among thofe trees, what glorious fhape Comes this way moving; seems another morn Ris'n on mid-noon; some great behest from heaven To us perhaps he brings, and will vouchfafe This day to be our gueft. But go with fpeed, And what thy ftores contain, bring forth, and pour Abundance, fit to honour and receive Our heavenly ftranger: well we may afford Our givers their own gifts, and large bestow From large beftow'd, where Nature multiplies Her fertile growth, and by difburd'ning grows More fruitful, which inftructs us not to spare.

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To whom thus Eve. Adam, earth's hallow'd mould, Of God infpir'd, fmall ftore will ferve, where store, All feafons, ripe for ufe hangs on the stalk; Save what by frugal ftoring firmness gains To nourish, and fuperfluous moift confumes: But I will hafte, and from each bough and brake, Each plant and jucieft gourd, will pluck fuch choice To entertain our angel-gueft, as he

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Beholding fhall confefs, that here on earth

God hath difpens'd his bounties as in heaven.

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So faying, with dispatchful looks in haste

She turns, on hofpitable thoughts intent
What choice to chufe for delicacy belt,
What order, fo contriv'd as not to mix
Tastes, not well join'd, inclegant, but bring
Tafte after tafte upheld with kindlieft change;
Beftirs her then, and from each tender ftalk
Whatever Earth, all-bearing mother, yields

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In India Eaft or Weft, or middle fhore,
In Pontus, or the Punic coaft, or where
Alcinous reign'd, fruit of all kinds, in coat
Rough or fmooth rin'd, or bearded hufk, or fhell,
She gathers, tribute large, and on the board.
Heaps with unfparing hand; for drink the grape
She crushes, inoffenfive muft, and meaths
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From many a berry', and from fweet kernels prefs'd
She tempers dulcet creams; nor thefe to hold
Wants her fit veffels pure; then ftrows the ground
With rofe and odours from the fhrub unfum'd.

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Meanwhile our primitive great fire, to meet 350 His godlike guest, walks forth, without more train Accompanied than with his own complete Perfections; in himself was all his ftate, More folemn than the tedious pomp that waits On princes, when their rich retinue long Of horfes led, and grooms befmeard with gold, Dazzles the croud, and fets them all agape. Nearer his prefence Adam, though not aw'd, Yet with fubmifs approach and reverence meek, As to' a fuperiour nature, bowing low, Thus faid. Native of heaven, for other place None can than heaven fuch glorious shape contain;

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Since by defcending from the thrones above,

Those happy places thou haft deign'd a while

To want, and honour these, vouchsafe with us
Two' only, who yet by fovereign gift poffefs
This fpacious ground, in yonder fhady bower
To reft, and what the garden choicest bears
To fit and tafte, till this meridian heat
Be over, and the fun more cool decline.

Whom thus th' angelic Virtue answer'd mild.
Adam, I therefore came; nor art thou fuch
Created, or fuch place haft here to dwell,

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As may not oft invite, tho' fpi'rits of heaven
To vifit thee: lead on then where thy bower
O'er fhades; for thefe mid-hours, till evening rife,
I have at will. So to the fylvan lodge

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They came, that like Pomona's arbour smil'd,
With flow'rets deck'd, and fragrant fmells; but Eve
Undeck'd fave with herself, more lovely fair 380
Than wood-nymph, or the fairest goddess feign'd
Of three that in mount Ida naked ftrove,
Stood to' entertain her guest from heaven; no veil
She needed, virtue-proof; no thought infirm
Alter'd her cheek. On whom the angel Hail!: 385-
Beltow'd, the holy falutation us'd

Long after to blefs'd Mary, fecond Eve..

Hail, mother of mankind! whose fruitful womb
Shall fill the world more numerous with thy fons,
Than with thefe various fruits the trees of God 390
Have heap'd this table. Rais'd of graffy turf
Their table was, and mossy feats had round;
And on her ample fquare from fide to fide
All autumn pil'd, tho' spring and autumn here
Danc'd hand in hand. A while discourse they hold;
No fear left dinner cool; when thus began 396
Our author. Heav'nly ftranger, please to tafte
Thefe bounties, which our Nourisher, from whom
All perfect good, unmeafur'd out, defcends,
To us for food and for delight hath caus'd

The earth to yield; unfavoury food perhaps
To fpiritual natures; only this I know,
That one celestial Father gives to all.

To whom the angel. Therefore what he gives
(Whose praise be ever fung) to man in part
Spiritual, may of pureft fpi'rits be found
No' ingrateful food: and food alike thofe pure
Intelligential fubftances require,

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As doth your rational; and both contain

Within them every lower faculty

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Of fenfe, whereby they hear, fee, fmell, touch, taste,

Tasting concoct, digest, affimilate,

And corporeal to incorporeal turn.

For know, whatever was created, needs

To be fuftain'd and fed: of elements,

The groffer feeds the purer, earth the fea,

Earth and the fea feed air, the air thofe fires
Ethereal, and as lowest, first the moon;

Whence in her visage round thofe fpots, unpurg'd
Vapours not yet into her fubftance turn'd.
Nor doth the moon no nourishment exhale
From her moist continent to higher orbs.
The fun, that light imparts to all, receives
From all his alimental recompense,

In humid exhalations, and at even

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Sups with the ocean. Though in heav'n the trees
Of life ambrofial fruitage bear, and vines

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Yield nectar; though from off the boughs each morn
We brush mellifluous dews, and find the ground
Cover'd with pearly grain: yet God hath here
Varied his bounty fo with new delights,
As may compare with heaven; and to tafte
Think not I fhall be nice. So down they fat,
And to their viands fell: nor feemingly

The angel, nor in mift, the common glofs
Of Theologians; but with keen dispatch

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Of real hunger, and concoctive heat

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To tranfubftantiate what redounds, tranfpires Through fpi'rits with eafe; nor wonder; if by fire

Of footy coal th' empiric alchemist

Can turn, or holds it poffible to turn,
Metals of droffieft ore to perfect gold,

As from the mine. Meanwhile at table Eve

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Minifter'd naked, and their flowing cups
With pleasant liquors crown'd. O innocence
Deferving Paradife! if ever, then,

Then had the fons of God excufe to' have been
Enamour'd at that fight; but in those hearts
Love unlibidinous reign'd, nor jealousy

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Was understood, the injur'd lover's hell.

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Thus when with meats and drinks they had fuffic'd, Not burden'd nature, fudden mind arofe

In Adam, not to let th' occafion pafs

Giv'n him by this great conference, to know

Of things above this world, and of their be'ing 455
Who dwell in heaven, whose excellence he faw
Tranfcend his own fo far, whofe radiant forms,
Divine effulgence, whofe high power fo far
Exceeded human; and his wary speech
Thus to th' empyreal minister he fram'd.

Inhabitant with God, now know I well
Thy favour, in this honour done to man;
Under whofe lowly roof thou haft vouchsaf'd
To enter, and these earthly fruits to taste,
Food not of angels, yet accepted fo,

As that more willingly thou couldst not seem

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At heaven's high feasts to' have fed: yet what compare?

To whom the winged Hierarch reply'd.

O Adam, one Almighty is, from whom

All things proceed, and up to him return,

If not deprav'd from good; created all
Such to perfection, one first matter all,
Endu'd with various forms, various degrees,
Of fubftance, and in things that live, of life;
But more refin'd, more fpiritous, and pure,
As nearer to him plac'd, or nearer tending,
Each in their feveral active spheres affign'd,
Till body up to fpirit work, in bounds.

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